Circuit-closer



(No Model.)

0. H. DELANO.

CIRCUIT CLOSER.

No. 473,499 Patented Apr.-Z6, 1892.

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UNITED STATES ATENT Orrrcn.

CHARLES H. DELANO, OF W'OBURN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,499, dated April26, 1892. Application filed September 16, 1891. Serial No. 405.889. (N0model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. DELANo. a citizen of the United States,residing at Weburn, in the county of Middlesex and State oflvlassachusettshave invented certain new and useful Improvements inCircuit-Closers, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention is designed as an improvement on the circuitclosershown in United States Letters Patent to Percival D. Richards, No.458,343, granted August 25, 1891.

It is my aim to fit circuit-closers constructed in the manner disclosedin the aforesaid patent for use in series upon a pair ofconducting-wires and to enable a number of such circuit-closers to beapplied at different points to one and the same pair ofconducting-wires. A pair of wires having the circuit-closersappliedthereto at suitable intervals may be strung along the side of arailroad-car in a manner to place a eircuit-closer Within reach of theoccupant of every seat or along the wall of a dining-room in a manner todispose of a circuitcloser adjacent to each of a number of tables orotherwise, so that the circuit-closers of the series which is applied toa given pair of conducting-wires shall be distributed and arranged inany desired and convenient-manner.

My'invention consists in an improved construction which will first bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will beparticularly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing a series of circuit-closersstrung upon a pair of conducting-wires, two of the circuit-closers beingshown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a view insection of my improvedcircuit-closer.

In its general construction my circuit-closer is the same as that whichis shown and described in the patent to Richards.

A is the circuit-closer in its entiretv, it being fitted to be graspedby the hand and having a body formed wholly or in part of a conductingmaterial adapted to be placed in connection with one conducting-wire andan exterior series of flexible strips or wires formed of conductingmaterial and adapted to be placed in connection with the other conductamost convenient in practice.

ing-wire, whereby when the circuit-closer is grasped by the hand andcompressed the strips or wires are forced into contact with the body andthe circuit is closed.

Save in one essential respect the construction of the circuit-closerneed not depart from that disclosed in the patent to said Richards.

The body of the circuit-closer may be made wholly or in part ofconducting material. I prefer, however, to make it only in part ofconducting material, and have shown it so made.

In the drawings, a is ashort section of rod, which is screw-threadedeXteriorly at each of the ends thereof. A ring or flange a is formed onor applied to the rod a at mid-length. I have shown a separately-formedring a having an aperture through the same, which is grea'tcr'indiameter than the rod a and applied so as to surround a second ring a,which fits upon the exterior of rod 0 and is of sufficient diameter tofit closely within the ring a 1 may employ this construction or one inwhich a ring or flange a is integral with the rod a, according as I mayfind it The ring a is in contact with ring e and the latter is incontact with the rod 0,. Ring a is of greater thickness than ring of".Upon roda, on opposite sides of the rings a (L29, are strung blocks a a,in this case of hard rubber, these blocks being formed with hub-likeportions fitting within the eye or aperture of ring a and bearingclosely against the sides of ring e To the opposite ends of rod a Iapply nuts or sleeves of insulating material, these nuts or sleevesbeing lettered h a, respectively, and being screw-threaded interior-1yto enable them to be turned up on the rod a against the ends of theblocks a a and also being screw-threaded exteriorly to receive upon themthe inte riorly-threaded metallic disks or plates 6 g. The disk or plate9 has secured therein one end of each of a series, of flexible metallicstrips or wires f, these strips or wires being bent to follow theoutline of the body of the circuit-closer in the direction of the lengththereof and normally standing a slight distance away from the surface ofthe said body. The disk or plate g is perforated, and through theperforations pass loosely the other ends of the strips or wires f, so asto permit of endwise movement of the strips or wires when they -arecompressed to carry their middle portions into contact with theconducting portion of the body. A thimble or cap 70 is screwed upon thedisk or plate 6, so as to give a finished appearance to thecorresponding end of the circuit-closer and to cover and protect thesaid end, and another thimble or cap m is screwed upon the end of rod oroutside of the disk or plate g, so as to finish the corresponding end ofthe circuit-closer.

In so far as it has yet been described the circuit-closer does notdiffer materially from the circuit-closer shown and described in thepatent aforesaid. In accordance with my invention, however, Imake therod a tubular,

so as to aiford atubular passage through the body of the circuit-closer,and through the interior thereofIthread side by side the two con-'ducting-wires b b .with which the circuit-closer is to beconnected.These wires are to be covered with insulating material, as usual; but I-portion of the insulating material at a point adjacent to one end of thebody of the circuitcloser, and this bared portion I connect by means ofthe binding-screw d to the plate a In this mannerI place the parts ofthe circuit-closer in'proper communication with the conducting-wires.

The manner of using the circuit-closer and the mode of operation thereofremain the same asin the case of the construction heretofore patented. I

It will be seen that any desired number of circuit-closers embodying myinvention may be strung upon a single pair of conductingwires, and thatthe said wires may be strung in a manner to place or locate thecircuit-closers as mentioned herein at the outset hereof.

Having described my invention and the manner of reducing the same topractice, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Acircuit-closer fitted to be closed by the hand and provided with a bodyformed wholly or in part of a conducting material, havinga tubularpassage therethrough for conductingwires, an exterior series of flexiblestrips or wires of conducting material, and a plate of conductingmaterial located at one end of the body, but insulated from theconducting ma terial of the latter and having the said strips or wiresconnected therewith, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a circuit-closer which is fitted to be graspedby the'hand and which is provided with abody formed wholly or in part ofa conducting material, havinga tubular passage therethrough, an exteriorseries of flexible strips or wires of conducting material, and a plateof conducting material located at one end of the body, but insulatedfrom the conducting material of the latter and having the strips orwires connected therewith, of a pair of conducting-wires passing throughthe tubular passage aforesaid,oneof the said Wires being in electricalconnection with the said body and the other in 'electrical connectionwith the said plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES I-I.'DELANO.

WVitnesses:

WM. A. MAoLEoD, OHAs. F. RANDALL.

